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WFP Scales Up Assistance To Ivorian Refugees In Liberia

MONROVIA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) emergency operation providing food assistance to Côte d'Ivoire refugees in Liberia, yesterday entered a new phase with the start of general food distributions targeting 22, 507 refugees in the 23 villages where they are currently sheltering in the border area.

“It has been challenging to set up a distribution programme in this remote and inaccessible area of Liberia, but we are now up and running, getting vital nutritious food to these refugees who have fled across the border from Côte d’Ivoire,” said Getachew Diriba, WFP Representative and Country Director in Liberia.

WFP’s food assistance programme to Ivorian refugees began earlier this month with the distribution of 5 metric tons of high energy biscuits to meet short-term nutritional needs of people who often lacked the facilities to cook their own food. Now, the operation is ramping up with the distribution of rations of cereals, vegetable oil, pulses and corn soya blend that will meet the nutritional needs of these refugees for a period of one month.

The operation is coordinated with UNHCR and the implementing partner, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), from the WFP sub-office of Saclepea, covering the counties of Bong and Nimba along the border with Côte d'Ivoire.

WFP is constantly reviewing its emergency plans and will adjust its operations for the benefit of the Ivorian refugees in Liberia as required.